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Repossession Orders: Yorkshire and the Humber

Volume 487: debated on Monday 9 February 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many court orders have been issued for the repossession of homes in each parliamentary constituency in Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last 20 years; and if he will make a statement. (252569)

Figures for each parliamentary constituency in Yorkshire and Humberside region are not available. However, the following tables show the number of mortgage and landlord possession orders made in each county court within Yorkshire and Humberside Government office region.

The civil procedure rules state that all claims for the repossession of land must be commenced in the district in which the land is situated. However, county courts in the Yorkshire and Humberside Government office region may cover areas other than the parliamentary constituencies of this region. Therefore not all possession actions at these courts necessarily relate to Yorkshire and Humber constituencies.

Court level statistics on mortgage and landlord repossession actions from 1987 to 2007 are available on the Ministry of Justice website at:

http://www.iustice.gov.uk/publications/mortgatelandlord possession.htm

These figures do not indicate how many homes have actually been repossessed. Repossessions can occur without a court order being made, while not all court orders result in repossession.

Table 1: Mortgage1 possession claims issued in the county courts of Yorkshire and Humberside Government office region, 1988 onwards

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

Barnsley

319

375

417

500

392

331

274

248

315

230

342

Bradford

761

942

1,171

1,665

1,182

996

864

870

967

782

987

Bridlington*

32

27

114

120

110

106

91

103

107

79

Dewsbury

418

339

471

767

526

402

361

423

371

347

426

Doncaster

564

478

594

826

571

445

482

471

560

541

652

Goole*

66

50

91

135

96

82

97

122

76

Grimsby

562

447

954

1,028

649

505

436

486

477

470

512

Halifax

468

290

394

649

551

390

425

370

372

338

368

Harrogate

0

113

244

407

338

249

184

200

184

157

163

Huddersfield

223

198

382

442

457

341

331

370

334

307

414

Keighley

173

174

296

372

268

206

210

169

168

154

223

Kingston-upon-Hull

596

750

904

1,268

822

721

720

640

685

589

743

Leeds

807

903

1,068

1,463

1,146

937

831

761

896

816

903

Otley*

77

62

119

188

129

124

101

83

Pontefract

287

241

311

423

286

276

276

242

250

247

264

Rotherham

448

346

523

675

483

413

325

289

345

231

337

Scarborough

128

101

177

271

198

137

129

149

117

140

359

Scunthorpe

159

171

359

455

285

231

239

215

243

364

224

Sheffield

492

664

889

1,211

847

810

632

543

562

533

600

Skipton

72

79

104

175

127

113

93

125

119

92

107

Thorne*

72

68

90

163

102

63

Wakefield

253

194

257

366

259

223

160

191

171

173

217

York

327

368

505

577

456

346

358

332

330

291

368

Yorkshire and Humber GOR

7,304

7,380

10,434

14,146

10,280

8,447

7,619

7,402

7,649

6,881

8,209

Other HMCS North East region

4283

3,894

4,243

5,952

5,192

3,969

3,236

3,264

3,493

3,015

4,298

HMCS North East region total

11,587

11,274

14,677

20,098

15,472

12,416

10,855

10,666

11,142

9,896

12,507

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008 (Jan-Sep)2

Barnsley

348

314

247

263

220

255

407

521

615

570

Bradford

1,105

1,000

927

802

770

763

1,099

1,235

1,437

1,342

Bridlington*

Dewsbury

481

391

370

300

293

363

552

671

735

698

Doncaster

702

652

616

514

458

550

847

1,195

1,389

1,087

Goole*

Grimsby

555

495

429

399

333

405

630

670

749

599

Halifax

466

351

340

280

252

304

419

510

585

529

Harrogate

187

164

155

118

133

156

233

232

205

160

Huddersfield

424

363

319

272

240

289

446

533

545

543

Keighley

227

187

153

142

145

155

213

241

308

264

Kingston-upon-Hull

800

704

632

534

529

579

833

1,011

1,181

956

Leeds

843

773

743

678

661

708

1,078

1,258

1,520

1,328

Otley*

Pontefract

298

266

230

206

197

255

475

534

617

572

Rotherham

436

381

302

277

258

284

484

615

704

672

Scarborough

255

225

244

151

156

195

292

350

441

359

Scunthorpe

284

219

246

217

212

240

380

448

484

450

Sheffield

632

625

536

481

478

509

863

997

1,181

972

Skipton

99

76

95

67

63

51

85

105

133

105

Thorne*

Wakefield

266

232

189

149

166

204

342

373

418

364

York

388

341

300

240

303

291

405

463

510

440

Yorkshire and Humber GOR

8,796

7,759

7,073

6,090

5,867

6,556

10,083

11,962

13,757

12,010

Other HMCS North East region

3,964

3,958

3,463

3,245

3,055

3,441

5,540

7,079

8,061

7,028

HMCS North East region total

12,760

11,717

10,536

9,335

8,922

9,997

15,623

19,041

21,818

19,038

1 Mortgage data include all types of lender.

2 Figures for the latest year are provisional.

* County court closed or merged with other county courts.

Source:

Ministry of Justice

Table 2: Mortgage1 possession orders made3,4 in the county courts of Yorkshire and Humberside Government office region, 1988 onwards

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

Barnsley

218

199

242

407

337

292

285

240

249

166

182

Bradford

241

313

716

1048

970

1141

561

639

821

771

967

Bridlington*

37

32

93

111

77

111

82

99

98

53

Dewsbury5

287

179

378

521

588

516

261

344

276

307

448

Doncaster

313

335

415

589

548

343

328

362

428

476

507

Goole*

52

21

69

118

101

78

86

114

73

Grimsby

391

379

546

824

579

522

457

362

516

319

582

Halifax5

249

225

442

565

469

294

279

389

384

282

341

Harrogate5

26

87

112

254

330

213

142

195

148

123

144

Huddersfield

109

100

362

451

548

296

321

277

338

277

343

Keighley5

134

102

208

283

247

181

148

149

164

115

166

Kingston-upon-Hull

430

421

547

1,400

556

538

476

390

531

378

779

Leeds

726

350

531

1,101

854

759

463

497

684

752

707

Otley*

47

42

66

142

94

95

66

71

Pontefract5

211

137

221

311

264

189

192

168

138

216

295

Rotherham5

314

236

336

503

426

333

236

304

299

306

392

Scarborough

75

68

125

173

170

128

92

132

85

127

185

Scunthorpe5

114

110

241

277

272

196

237

155

263

158

194

Sheffield

497

324

545

797

649

517

285

497

389

398

516

Skipton

54

53

71

123

127

107

56

73

75

84

88

Thorne*

36

33

52

132

91

81

Wakefield5

247

114

162

259

232

186

147

132

190

221

177

York

238

193

314

455

405

316

274

237

253

258

355

Yorkshire and Humber GOR

5,046

4,053

6,794

10,844

8,934

7,432

5,474

5,826

6,402

5,787

7,368

Other HMCS North East region

3,112

2,521

3,011

4,815

5,309

4,361

3,553

3,129

3,202

2,551

3,469

HMCS North East region total

8,158

6,574

9,805

15,659

14,243

11,793

9,027

8,955

9,604

8,338

10,837

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008 (Jan-Sep)2

Barnsley

278

251

198

188

148

160

268

351

435

423

Bradford

814

769

732

590

543

500

679

825

935

987

Bridlington*

Dewsbury5

426

323

325

230

197

256

336

497

Doncaster

380

523

465

376

324

331

540

819

982

882

Goole*

Grimsby

281

385

390

271

223

236

431

515

524

498

Halifax5

380

270

297

198

193

161

274

362

Harrogate5

127

128

115

77

63

90

157

169

Huddersfield

322

278

274

178

163

174

317

385

370

376

Keighley5

172

164

101

115

83

91

127

169

Kingston-upon-Hull

703

553

508

414

353

390

559

705

835

688

Leeds

684

611

600

437

448

410

682

876

1,049

997

Otley*

Pontefract5

260

197

190

137

156

159

276

375

Rotherham5

347

297

262

189

185

191

304

431

Scarborough

219

152

187

106

88

119

184

227

309

289

Scunthorpe5

218

152

233

158

145

150

250

335

Sheffield

496

451

359

299

295

303

446

738

803

734

Skipton

72

64

66

46

42

41

52

73

95

92

Thorne*

Wakefield5

172

167

157

119

97

157

199

297

York

299

267

221

139

172

172

268

333

338

298

Yorkshire and Humber GOR

6,650

6,002

5,680

4,267

3,918

4,091

6,349

8,482

Other HMCS North East region

3,305

3,216

2,935

2,249

2,088

2,145

3,290

5,128

HMCS North East region total

9,955

9,218

8,615

6,516

6,006

6,236

9,639

13,610

15,087

13,178

Notes:

1 Mortgage data include all types of lender.

2 Figures for the latest year are provisional.

3 The court, following a judicial hearing, may grant an order for possession immediately. This entitles the claimant to apply for a warrant to have the defendant evicted. However, even where a warrant for possession is issued, the parties can still negotiate a compromise to prevent eviction.

4 Includes outright and suspended orders, the latter being where the court grants the claimant possession but suspends the operation of the order. Provided the defendant complies with the terms of suspension, which usually require the defendant to pay the current mortgage or rent instalments plus some of the accrued arrears, the possession order cannot be enforced.

5 The rollout of the Possession Claim On-Line (PCOL) system in late 2006 has affected the availability of court-level data. Only those county courts who do not have direct on site access to PCOL were affected. Consequently, upward adjustment has been made to estimate the effects of missing data. The figures for these courts are adjusted at HMCS regional level.

* County court closed or merged with other county courts.

Source:

Ministry of Justice

Table 3: Landlord1, 3 possession claims issued and orders made4, 6 in the county courts of Yorkshire and Humberside region, 19997 onwards

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Claims issued

Orders made

Claims issued

Orders made

Claims issued

Orders made

Claims issued

Orders made

Claims issued

Orders made

Barnsley

472

368

498

378

420

379

577

427

595

448

Bradford

1,085

731

1,166

940

1,251

944

1,202

872

949

761

Dewsbury5

658

538

691

610

710

637

672

523

819

654

Doncaster

904

752

759

707

817

699

1,085

889

1,077

917

Grimsby

304

171

312

167

263

218

384

277

427

312

Halifax5

395

310

463

325

452

308

569

386

626

442

Harrogate5

215

185

210

178

215

164

179

145

181

119

Huddersfield

557

492

551

484

648

532

683

543

687

550

Keighley5

169

122

152

128

155

138

153

121

131

100

Kingston-upon-Hull

1,691

944

1,699

862

1,544

938

2,534

1,654

2,025

1,208

Leeds

1,306

1,110

2,078

1,508

2,862

2,587

2,056

1,831

1,155

767

Pontefract5

288

258

354

317

306

274

287

246

247

219

Rotherham5

394

325

529

348

757

606

774

658

795

614

Scarborough

442

300

402

289

443

339

371

300

357

286

Scunthorpe5

574

276

622

374

533

511

532

422

492

429

Sheffield

2,664

1,704

2,271

1,601

2,321

1,553

2,808

2,245

2,334

1,592

Skipton

47

32

62

53

70

66

78

57

95

69

Wakefield5

268

216

256

266

279

258

267

180

286

245

York

758

605

739

558

689

554

838

632

711

521

Yorkshire and Humber GOR

13,191

9,439

13,814

10,093

14,735

11,705

16,049

12,408

13,989

10,253

Other HMCS North East region

9,042

6,674

8,387

6,705

7,915

6,182

8,959

6,733

8,819

6,521

HMCS North East region total

22,233

16,113

22,201

16,798

22,650

17,887

25,008

19,141

22,808

16,774

20042005200620072008 (Jan-Sep)2

Claims issued

Orders made

Claims issued

Orders made

Claims issued

Orders made

Claims issued

Orders made

Claims issued

Orders made

Barnsley

585

454

688

498

744

536

600

509

423

382

Bradford

1,039

920

1,020

843

934

791

790

595

401

355

Dewsbury5

789

596

720

605

461

378

552

394

Doncaster

1,034

903

814

764

876

719

809

769

592

580

Grimsby

469

364

361

309

424

322

483

536

310

264

Halifax5

495

414

494

377

485

333

449

274

Harrogate5

172

125

174

141

184

148

143

150

Huddersfield

655

533

725

530

603

478

612

489

393

414

Keighley5

148

108

172

153

166

139

169

56

Kingston-upon-Hull

1,520

948

1,448

1,066

1,700

1,122

1,359

1,036

914

714

Leeds

1,496

1,060

1,583

1,181

1,215

1,134

1,163

1,002

872

941

Pontefract5

399

312

321

281

310

261

277

205

Rotherham5

819

659

614

456

795

594

556

321

Scarborough

327

229

330

293

360

281

309

285

227

200

Scunthorpe5

418

364

389

337

384

309

357

294

Sheffield

2,486

1,823

2,294

1,724

2,048

1,368

2,012

1,779

1,451

1,671

Skipton

73

62

95

74

59

58

71

55

39

34

Wakefield5

358

347

218

175

282

239

279

190

York

872

588

754

525

677

571

642

513

404

292

Yorkshire and Humber GOR

14,154

10,809

13,214

10,332

12,707

9,781

11,632

7,910

Other HMCS North East region

9,512

6,495

8,244

6,070

8,855

6,120

8,022

5,393

HMCS North East region total

23,666

17,304

21,458

16,402

21,562

15,901

19,654

15,756

13,303

10,981

1 Landlord possession data include all types of landlord whether social or private.

2 Figures for the latest year are provisional.

3 Landlord actions include those made under both standard and accelerated procedures. Landlord actions via the accelerated procedure enable the orders to be made solely on the basis of written evidence and shorthold tenancies, when the fixed period of tenancy has come to an end.

4 Includes outright and suspended orders, the latter being where the court grants the claimant possession but suspends the operation of the order. Provided the defendant complies with the terms of suspension, which usually require the defendant to pay the current mortgage or rent instalments plus some of the accrued arrears, the possession order cannot be enforced.

5 The rollout of the Possession Claim On-Line (PCOL) system in late 2006 has affected the availability of court-level data. Only those county courts who do not have direct on site access to PCOL were affected. Consequently, upward adjustment has been made to estimate the effects of missing data. The figures for these courts are adjusted at HMCS regional level.

Notes:

The court, following a judicial hearing, may grant an order for possession immediately. This entitles the claimant to apply for a warrant to have the defendant evicted. However, even where a warrant for possession is issued, the parties can still negotiate a compromise to prevent eviction.

Court level data are not available for all landlord possession actions prior to 1999.

Source:

Ministry of Justice